Uploaded June 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
“"Avatar" is not simply a sensational entertainment, although it is that. It's a technical breakthrough. It has a flat-out Green and anti-war message. It is predestined to launch a cult.” –Roger Ebert, 2009
James Cameron's "Avatar" may not be a film audiences can recall much about. But at least a few people at Cirque Du Soleil seem to be fans. Zach Barr (they/them) investigates the odd cultural artifact that is "TORUK: The First Flight" – an awkward mess of a show that is, nonetheless, more memorable than its high-grossing source material.
Music provided by Kevin McLeod and John Bartmann, and used under a Creative Commons BY License.
Bibliography: docs.google.com/document/d/1sDYMlJs_zftFhL3id8x-NEWLMQuQTfG5YbYA-LhRBPo/edit?usp=sharing
"And Now, They Sing" playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4vfdXUW5yrUATqDIsz1d5C8wDdewZflz
For suggesting topics: instagram.com/admiralzachbarr
For donations: ko-fi.com/admiralzachbarr
“"Avatar" is not simply a sensational entertainment, although it is that. It's a technical breakthrough. It has a flat-out Green and anti-war message. It is predestined to launch a cult.” –Roger Ebert, 2009
James Cameron's "Avatar" may not be a film audiences can recall much about. But at least a few people at Cirque Du Soleil seem to be fans. Zach Barr (they/them) investigates the odd cultural artifact that is "TORUK: The First Flight" – an awkward mess of a show that is, nonetheless, more memorable than its high-grossing source material.
Music provided by Kevin McLeod and John Bartmann, and used under a Creative Commons BY License.
Bibliography: docs.google.com/document/d/1sDYMlJs_zftFhL3id8x-NEWLMQuQTfG5YbYA-LhRBPo/edit?usp=sharing
"And Now, They Sing" playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4vfdXUW5yrUATqDIsz1d5C8wDdewZflz
For suggesting topics: instagram.com/admiralzachbarr
For donations: ko-fi.com/admiralzachbarr
![Low Budget Milky Whites [LIVE at BroadwayCon 2024]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/m6EUYZNgxT4/mqdefault.jpg "Low Budget Milky Whites [LIVE at BroadwayCon 2024]
He wasn’t puppeteering her just yet; she was still inanimate. Then he tilted her head ever so slightly, and instantly there she was: imbued with life and seemingly quizzical — even if her big, almost teary eyes are really just beveled foam coated with clear epoxy that catches the light. Yeah, we’re best friends, said Kanagawa. -Laura Collins-Hughes, 2022
Of all the characters from “Into The Woods,” none have seen more…variation between productions than Jack’s beloved cow. The defunct Tumblr blog “Low Budget Milky Whites” catalogued a bestiary of staging choices: puppets, masks, facepaint, balloons, and more. But, funny as they are, what can these costumes teach us about the medium of theatre? Zach Barr (they/them) discusses the differences between Static and Dynamic Art, through the lens of the cow as white as milk.
Performed July 27, 2024 – LIVE at BroadwayCon 2024
Thank you to BroadwayCon and the Mischief Management staff for hosting me! This was my first time ever presenting And Now They Sing live, and it was a blast the whole way through. Special shoutout to the attendee who brought their own Milky White puppet and asked me to sign the udder afterwards – I missed your name but you made my whole weekend.")
